utterly have perifhed, and which had no other recommendation, than that they ferved to swell the volume. Since this, many mifcellanies have been published both in Scotland and Engiand; to enumerate which would be no lefs tedious than ufelefs. It will be fufficient to remark, that through want of care or judgment in their refpective editors, they are all forgotten or neglected. From there the mifcellany known by the name of Mr. Pope perhaps ought to be excepted; tho' that, indeed, cannot properly be filed a collection of poems by different hands, which is fuch a one as we are speaking of at prefent, the greater, part confifting of pieces by Mr. Pope only. The best mifcellany at this day extant in our language, and the first complete one of the kind which we have feen, is that publifhed by the late R. Dodiley, which boasts the greateft names of the prefent age among its contributors. As to the poetical collection here exhibited to the public, we apprehend it challenges no small degree of regard, as it was made under the immediate inspection and conduct of several very ingenious gentlemen, whofe names it would do us the highest honour to mention; and as it contains a variety not to be found even in the admirable col.. lection laft fpoken of; I mean the intermixture of poems both Scotch and English. Nor is this variety lefs agreeable than ufeful; as from it we have an opportunity of forming a comparison and eftimate of the tafte and genius of the two different nations, in their poetical compofitions. It will be neceffary to take notice, that our chief care has been to furnifh out the following mifcellany with thofe pieces, regard being first had to red merit, which have laid unknown and unobserved from their MANNER of publication; feveral of them having been printed by themfelves, and fo perihed as it were for want of bulk, and others loft amid the rubbish of collectio is injudiciously made, and perhaps not easily to be met with. Nor will it be improper to mention, that in order to render our volume fill more compleat, we have had the favour of fome original poems, written by a late member of the University of Aberdeen, whofe modefty would not perrit us to prefix his name; one of which in this edition is printed with many improvements, from a corrected copy. Nor muit we, forget to return our public thanks to this gentleman, for the service he has been to ps, not only in making this collection more excellent by his own contributions, but in feleßing fuch pieces of others as were fuitable to our d、â ̧n. It is hoped, that the ancient Scottish poems (amongst which THE THISTLE AND THE ROSE, and HARDYKNUTE are more particularly distinguifhed) will make no disagreeable figure amongst thofe of modern date; and that they will produce the fame effect here, as Mr. Pope obferves a moderate use of old words may have in a poem; which, adds he, is like working old abbey-stones into a modern building, and which I have sometimes feen practifed with good fuccefs. Upon the whole, as we have been favoured. with the beft afliftance in compiling this volume, no further apology is neceffary; and as the ap probation of the public has been already fecured to these poems separately, we hope they have no lefs reafon to claim it, when thus published together. CONTENT S. PAGE 1 THE Thiftle and the Rose, by W. Dunbar, Verses on the Death of Queen Caroline, by Mr. Shipley, The Genealogy of Chrift, by Mr. Lowth, ..... The Eagle and Robin Red-breast, a Fable, by Archibald Scott, written before the Year 1600, 28 Ode to Fancy, by Mr. Jofeph Warton, Ode to Evening, by the fame, Ode to Evening, by Mr. Collins, 31 .... 42 Ifis, an Elegy, by Mr. Mason of Cambridge, An Elegy written in a Country Church-Yard, by Mr. Grey, ..... On the Death of Prince Frederic. Written at ... 65 70 Paris, by David Lord Viscount Stormont, On the fame, by Mr. James Clitherow of Oxford, 75 Ode on the Approach of Summer, by a Gentleman formerly of the University of Aberdeen, 81 A Paftoral in the manner of Spenfer, from Theocritus, Idyll. 20. By the fame, .... ..... 94 Infcribed on a beautiful Grotto near the Water, 96 |